Portable scaffold



Sept. 29, 1964 M. J. KIRCHHOEFER PORTABLE SCAFFOLD Filed May 24. 1962 Martin J IO'rc/rfioefer 1N VEN TOR.

BY ppm -v fimq,

United States Patent 3,150,743 PORTABLE SCAFFOLD Martin J. Kirchhoefer, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., assignor to Pulpamac, Inc, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 24, 1962, Ser. No. 197,368 2 Claims. (61. 182115) The present invention generally relates to scaffolds and more particularly to a portable scaffold including both a standing platform and an article supporting shelf.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a scaffold for household uses.

Another object of the present invention involves the provision of a shelf on a scaffold, which shelf is particularly positioned so as to enable the user of the scaffold to conveniently position various tools or objects thereon which are necessary to the work being done.

Also, an object of the present invention is to provide a scaffold which can be conveniently moved from one position to another.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight, extremely rigid and highly durable scaffold which can be safely used in the home.

Likewise, an object of the present invention is to provide a scaffold which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and as such can be reasonably priced.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the scaffold comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevational view on a reduced scale.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral generally designates the scaffold comprising the present invention. This scaifold 10 consists basically of a lower person supporting portion 12 and an upper article supporting portion 14.

The portion 12 includes two tubular rods 16 and 18 formed so as to present spaced parallel substantially horizontal center sections 20 and 22, two forwarding sloping front legs 24 and 26, and two vertically extending rear legs 28 and 30. It will be noted that the legs and central section of each tubular member 16 and 18 are integrally formed from a single piece of material. Also, if so desired, the central sections 20 and 22, can be provided with a slight forward slope, as shown in FIGURE 3, thereby tending to shift the weight of a person standing thereon to the sloping front legs 24 and 26. Attention is directed to the fact that the lower ends of these front legs 24 and 26 are provided with tips or cups 32 and 34 of a suitable material such as rubber or plastic which is capable of providing a non-slip contact between the device 10 and the supporting surface or floor 36 without causing any damage to this supporting floor 36.

The vertically extending rear legs 28 and 30 are spaced slightly above the supporting surface 36 by means of a pair of rotatable wheels 38 and 40 which are secured to a transverse axle 42 extending through aligned apertures in the lower ends of the legs 28 and 30. It will be noted that these wheels 38 and 40, positioned in such a manner, enable the entire scaffold 10 to be pivoted thereon, thereby enabling the rapid movement of the scaffold 10 from one position to another.

The lower person supporting portion 12 further includes a platform 44, preferably of wood, supported on 3,150,743 Patented Sept. 29., 1964 and secured to the central sections 20 and 22 by means of fasteners 46 which are preferably round-headed bolts.

A step 48 is provided between the front legs 24 and 26 and is secured thereto by means of a transverse brace 50 consisting of a tubular member provided with flattened ends 52. The step 48 is secured to the transverse brace 50 by means of threaded fasteners 54 and, the brace 50 is secured to the front legs 24 and 26 by means of threaded fasteners 56.

Secured to the vertically extending rear legs 28 and 30 are a pair of upwardly extending tubular supports 58 and 60 which are rearwardly bent at their upper ends so as to form rearwardly extending horizontal portions 62 and 64 to which a horizontal shelf 66 is secured by fastening elements 68. The lower end of each support 58 and 6G is secured to the adjoining leg 28 or 30 by means of threaded fasteners 70 and 72 which, as is the case in regard to all of the fasteners used throughout the scaffold 10, are preferably round-headed bolts having nuts threaded on their threaded end.

In order to aid in the stabilization of the supports 58 and 60, a plurality of transversely extending tubular braces 74 and 76 are provided. As illustrated in the drawings, the ends of these tubular braces 74 and 76 are flattened so as to facilitate the reception of the fastening bolts 78. Further, as best illustrated in FIGURE 2, the flattening of the ends of the braces 74 and 76 enables a slight curving of these ends, as at 80 and 82 so as to conform them to the supports 58 and 60, thus resulting in a stabler and more attractive connection. As will be readily apparent, the shelf 66 is provided for the support of articles with which the user of the scaffold is working, and, it will be noted that the braces 74 and 76 are also conveniently positioned so as to receive various articles such as dustcloths or rags used in reaching normally inaccessible places by the use of the scaffold.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, it is considered to be readily apparent that a novel supporting scaffold has been defined which includes all of the desirable features such as rigidity, durability, attractiveness and portability. These advantages are obtained by the provision of a tubular framework provided with a lower supporting platform, a step located between the platform and the supporting surface, and an upper shelf positioned so as to be readily available for the support of various articles.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable scaffold comprising a pair of parallel tubular members each including a substantially horizontal central section and integral downwardly depending front and rear legs, a platform positioned over and secured to the central sections, a pair of vertically extending parallel tubular supports, the lower portion of each support being secured to one of the rear legs with the major portion of the supports extending above the platform, the upper ends of the tubular supports being laterally bent so as to form horizontal parallel support arms, a shelf supported on and secured to these arms, a pair of rotatable wheels secured on the lower ends of the rear legs, the front legs of the parallel members being sloped forward so as to engage the supporting surface at an acute angle, and the platform sloping slightly downwardly toward the front legs so as to shift the weight of a load on the platform to the front legs, said front legs having non-slip means there- 2. The structure of claim 1 including a pair of tubular rods extending horizontally between the tubular supports, said rods having the ends thereof flattened and formed so as to embrace the tubular supports, and securing bolts extending through the rod ends and tubular supports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Italy Mar. 20, 1958 

1. A PORTABLE SCAFFOLD COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL TUBULAR MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL CENTRAL SECTION AND INTEGRAL DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING FRONT AND REAR LEGS, A PLATFORM POSITIONED OVER AND SECURED TO THE CENTRAL SECTIONS, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY EXTENDING PARALLEL TUBULAR SUPPORTS, THE LOWER PORTION OF EACH SUPPORT BEING SECURED TO ONE OF THE REAR LEGS WITH THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE SUPPORTS EXTENDING ABOVE THE PLATFORM, THE UPPER ENDS OF THE TUBULAR SUPPORTS BEING LATERALLY BENT SO AS TO FORM HORIZONTAL PARALLEL SUPPORT ARMS, A SHELF SUPPORTED ON AND SECURED TO THESE ARMS, A PAIR OF ROTATABLE WHEELS SECURED ON THE LOWER ENDS OF THE REAR LEGS, THE FRONT LEGS OF THE PARALLEL MEMBERS BEING SLOPED FORWARD SO AS TO ENGAGE THE SUPPORTING SURFACE AT AN ACUTE ANGLE, AND THE PLATFORM SLOPING SLIGHTLY DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE FRONT LEGS SO AS TO SHIFT THE WEIGHT OF A LOAD ON THE PLATFORM TO THE FRONT LEGS, SAID FRONT LEGS HAVING NON-SLIP MEANS THEREON. 